Covenant Grove Daily Devotionals

About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight. Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard. So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away. Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. You have been so worried that you havent touched food for two weeks, he said. Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish. Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat all 276 of us who were on board. After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard. When morning dawned, they didnt recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart. The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didnt swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didnt let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭27‬:‭27‬-‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Having strong faith in God often brings great respect from others. Take note of this: Paul was not a sailor or commanding officer he was a prisoner! Yet he was giving advice, and people were following it. His confidence and trust in the Lord, in the midst of the storm, gained him respect from the entire ship. Paul was a slave of Christ which is true freedom. His absolute trust in the Lord gave him confidence and gained him respect from many others. Has your faith and integrity grown respect from other people?

Of course some people will not respect us if we have strong faith. Some people will despise us for being outspoken and trusting God. Some people envy those who can be calm in the storm and have peace in the chaos. But others will be drawn in, and that is our chance to tell them about our Source of strength and peace. Paul led the entire ship in prayer around a meal. Opportunities will arise as we are faithful.How can you use any attention given to you to point people to Christ?

When the time came, we set sail for Italy. Paul and several other prisoners were placed in the custody of a Roman officer named Julius, a captain of the Imperial Regiment. Aristarchus, a Macedonian from Thessalonica, was also with us. We left on a ship whose home port was Adramyttium on the northwest coast of the province of Asia; it was scheduled to make several stops at ports along the coast of the province. The next day when we docked at Sidon, Julius was very kind to Paul and let him go ashore to visit with friends so they could provide for his needs. Putting out to sea from there, we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course, so we sailed north of Cyprus between the island and the mainland. Keeping to the open sea, we passed along the coast of Cilicia and Pamphylia, landing at Myra, in the province of Lycia. There the commanding officer found an Egyptian ship from Alexandria that was bound for Italy, and he put us on board. We had several days of slow sailing, and after great difficulty we finally neared Cnidus. But the wind was against us, so we sailed across to Crete and along the sheltered coast of the island, past the cape of Salmone. We struggled along the coast with great difficulty and finally arrived at Fair Havens, near the town of Lasea. We had lost a lot of time. The weather was becoming dangerous for sea travel because it was so late in the fall, and Paul spoke to the ships officers about it. Men, he said, I believe there is trouble ahead if we go onshipwreck, loss of cargo, and danger to our lives as well. But the officer in charge of the prisoners listened more to the ships captain and the owner than to Paul. And since Fair Havens was an exposed harbora poor place to spend the wintermost of the crew wanted to go on to Phoenix, farther up the coast of Crete, and spend the winter there. Phoenix was a good harbor with only a southwest and northwest exposure. When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a northeaster) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors couldnt turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale. We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda, where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind. The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ships gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone. No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, Dont be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! Whats more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you. So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭27‬:‭1‬-‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Having faith in God brings clarity to life. Paul was all about proclaiming Jesus, not about cargo or money. He didnt care if he spent a winter in a harbor with harsh weather. The sailors and soldiers wanted a better harbor and money from their cargo, so they unwisely pressed on into danger. This bad decision would lose the ship, cargo, and all profit, but God told Paul that the lives of all on board would be saved. Paul told the men about Gods promises to give them hope. His faith had given him clarity; he trusted in the Lord. He knew that God had told him he would make it to Rome to testify about Jesus, so Paul knew that would happen. God said it, you believe it, you live it. Have you made life more complicated than that?

The problem for us comes when we try to make anything other than Jesus our number one priority in life. It doesnt work. If money or happiness or comfort or work or promotion or relationships are before Jesus, eventually we will use Jesus to reach our goals. We will evaluate if Jesus works based on His usefulness to reach our own goals.Are you using Jesus to reach your own goals, or is Jesus the true goal of your life? How do you know?

Then Agrippa said to Paul, You may speak in your defense. So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently! As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of Gods promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will. Who are you, Lord? I asked. And the Lord replied, I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among Gods people, who are set apart by faith in me. And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to Godand prove they have changed by the good things they do. Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce Gods light to Jews and Gentiles alike. Suddenly, Festus shouted, Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy! But Paul replied, I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do Agrippa interrupted him. Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly? Paul replied, Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains. Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, This man hasnt done anything to deserve death or imprisonment. And Agrippa said to Festus, He could have been set free if he hadnt appealed to Caesar.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭26‬:‭1‬-‭32‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul gave his testimony again here, and he shared a few more details that we have not heard before. One of my favorite lines is where Jesus told Paul It is hard for you to kick against the goads. One translation reads, It is useless for you to fight against my will. Goads were little pieces of wood that had a point in one end, used for goading or spurring cattle on. If the cattle kicked back against the goads they would only hurt themselves and be poked even deeper. God had been goading Paul to follow Him, even as Paul was persecuting Christians. Jesus wanted Paul to stop fighting against Him. Paul would suffer for Jesus, but suffering would be less hard than fighting Gods will.

Jesus wants the best for our lives not always the easiest or most comfortable but the best. Remember or write down a story from your life when you fought against Gods will, and it did not turn out great. Dont forget this lesson for life.Are you kicking against the goads? How is the Spirit goading you on?

Three days after Festus arrived in Caesarea to take over his new responsibilities, he left for Jerusalem, where the leading priests and other Jewish leaders met with him and made their accusations against Paul. They asked Festus as a favor to transfer Paul to Jerusalem (planning to ambush and kill him on the way). But Festus replied that Paul was at Caesarea and he himself would be returning there soon. So he said, Those of you in authority can return with me. If Paul has done anything wrong, you can make your accusations. About eight or ten days later Festus returned to Caesarea, and on the following day he took his seat in court and ordered that Paul be brought in. When Paul arrived, the Jewish leaders from Jerusalem gathered around and made many serious accusations they couldnt prove. Paul denied the charges. I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government, he said. Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there? But Paul replied, No! This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried right here. You know very well I am not guilty of harming the Jews. If I have done something worthy of death, I dont refuse to die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar! Festus conferred with his advisers and then replied, Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go! A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. During their stay of several days, Festus discussed Pauls case with the king. There is a prisoner here, he told him, whose case was left for me by Felix. When I was in Jerusalem, the leading priests and Jewish elders pressed charges against him and asked me to condemn him. I pointed out to them that Roman law does not convict people without a trial. They must be given an opportunity to confront their accusers and defend themselves. When his accusers came here for the trial, I didnt delay. I called the case the very next day and ordered Paul brought in. But the accusations made against him werent any of the crimes I expected. Instead, it was something about their religion and a dead man named Jesus, who Paul insists is alive. I was at a loss to know how to investigate these things, so I asked him whether he would be willing to stand trial on these charges in Jerusalem. But Paul appealed to have his case decided by the emperor. So I ordered that he be held in custody until I could arrange to send him to Caesar. Id like to hear the man myself, Agrippa said. And Festus replied, You willtomorrow! So the next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium with great pomp, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Festus ordered that Paul be brought in. Then Festus said, King Agrippa and all who are here, this is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, both here and in Jerusalem. But in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor, I have decided to send him to Rome. But what shall I write the emperor? For there is no clear charge against him. So I have brought him before all of you, and especially you, King Agrippa, so that after we examine him, I might have something to write. For it makes no sense to send a prisoner to the emperor without specifying the charges against him!‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭25‬:‭1‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What did Paul do for two years while he was in prison? He did not sit and feel sorry for himself; he worked hard as a servant of Christ. We know that he wrote many letters from prison, including Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon. He probably wrote these letters at this time or when he was in Rome under house arrest. It must have been hard for Paul, someone who had been on the move so much in the last few years, to have been sitting in prison. But he made the most of it, and we have more books of the Bible because of it!

God was working too. There was a new governor, and a new trial was set. Paul got to make his case and witness about Christ again. Paul wound up appealing to Caesar to protect himself. This also meant that he would make it to Rome, the place he had planned on and God had promised. Although he would be arriving in chains, God was still working.

We can always serve Jesus. But we wont always be in the situations we want. The circumstances of life may be very much against us, but God is for us. We can always serve Jesus. Serving Him gives us purpose a light in the darkness that fends off despair.What struggles make it hard for you to serve the Lord or have a good attitude? How will you serve Him today, even if it is hard?

Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor. When Paul was called in, Tertullus presented the charges against Paul in the following address to the governor: You have provided a long period of peace for us Jews and with foresight have enacted reforms for us. For all of this, Your Excellency, we are very grateful to you. But I dont want to bore you, so please give me your attention for only a moment. We have found this man to be a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarenes. Furthermore, he was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭24‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT

(Editors Note: The new living translation committee determined that these next following verses were likely not part of the original Greek text, based on the most widely accepted manuscript evidence, essentially deeming them as later additions not originally present in the Bible. The absence of these words in early resources and variations in later ones made their exclusion optional for other translation committees.. Some manuscripts add an expanded conclusion to verse 6, all of verse 7, and an additional phrase in verse 8:)

We would have judged him by our law, but Lysias, the commander of the garrison, came and violently took him away from us, commanding his accusers to come before you.

Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭24‬:‭ 6B, 7 8A‬ ‭NLT

You can find out the truth of our accusations by examining him yourself. Then the other Jews chimed in, declaring that everything Tertullus said was true. The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, I know, sir, that you have been a judge of Jewish affairs for many years, so I gladly present my defense before you. You can quickly discover that I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago to worship at the Temple. My accusers never found me arguing with anyone in the Temple, nor stirring up a riot in any synagogue or on the streets of the city. These men cannot prove the things they accuse me of doing. But I admit that I follow the Way, which they call a cult. I worship the God of our ancestors, and I firmly believe the Jewish law and everything written in the prophets. I have the same hope in God that these men have, that he will raise both the righteous and the unrighteous. Because of this, I always try to maintain a clear conscience before God and all people. After several years away, I returned to Jerusalem with money to aid my people and to offer sacrifices to God. My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. But some Jews from the province of Asia were thereand they ought to be here to bring charges if they have anything against me! Ask these men here what crime the Jewish high council found me guilty of, except for the one time I shouted out, I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead! At that point Felix, who was quite familiar with the Way, adjourned the hearing and said, Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case. He ordered an officer to keep Paul in custody but to give him some freedom and allow his friends to visit him and take care of his needs. A few days later Felix came back with his wife, Drusilla, who was Jewish. Sending for Paul, they listened as he told them about faith in Christ Jesus. As he reasoned with them about righteousness and self-control and the coming day of judgment, Felix became frightened. Go away for now, he replied. When it is more convenient, Ill call for you again. He also hoped that Paul would bribe him, so he sent for him quite often and talked with him. After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭24‬:‭8‬-‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

‬‬

As we share Jesus with others, we will come across some interesting characters. Felix was an interesting character. He was the governor, his wife was Jewish, and he seemed to have heard about Christianity. He was sympathetic towards Paul and interested in Jesus, but he did not like the talk about obedience and self-control. He actually wanted a bribe from Paul. In the end, he left an innocent man in jail to win political points.

Although Paul was on trial, it seems clear that it was actually Jesus who was on trial. Paul was sharing more about Jesus than giving his legal defense. Pauls accusers were attacking Jesus more than Paul. Felix was caught in the middle, and Pauls fate hinged on whether Felix would accept Christ.

When we share our faith, we dont need to be defensive. We are not on trial, Jesus is. We are the witnesses. We will run in to a lot of interesting characters, and we need to share Jesus no matter what.Is there any area in your life that is not a good witness to the love and truth of Jesus? How can you let God work to change that area this week?

Then the commander called two of his officers and ordered, Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine oclock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. Provide horses for Paul to ride, and get him safely to Governor Felix. Then he wrote this letter to the governor: From Claudius Lysias, to his Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings! This man was seized by some Jews, and they were about to kill him when I arrived with the troops. When I learned that he was a Roman citizen, I removed him to safety. Then I took him to their high council to try to learn the basis of the accusations against him. I soon discovered the charge was something regarding their religious lawcertainly nothing worthy of imprisonment or death. But when I was informed of a plot to kill him, I immediately sent him on to you. I have told his accusers to bring their charges before you. So that night, as ordered, the soldiers took Paul as far as Antipatris. They returned to the fortress the next morning, while the mounted troops took him on to Caesarea. When they arrived in Caesarea, they presented Paul and the letter to Governor Felix. He read it and then asked Paul what province he was from. Cilicia, Paul answered. I will hear your case myself when your accusers arrive, the governor told him. Then the governor ordered him kept in the prison at Herods headquarters.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭23‬:‭23‬-‭35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul was getting help from an unexpected place: the Romans! There was a plot against his life, and the Roman officer was the one who was protecting him with 470 guards. Just as God promised, Paul would be delivered safely, and he would be able to stand trial under the governor. God will not always pick the way that we want to fulfill His plan, but we can be ready to accept His plan no matter how it comes. Sometimes we miss God answering our prayers because its not the way that we expected Him to answer it. Sometimes God answers our prayers in ways that stretch us because He is growing our trust in Him.

Earlier, Paul had written that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37). I wonder if Paul felt, being escorted with hundreds of Roman soldiers, that he was a conqueror. Even though it was predicted that he would be arrested in Jerusalem, he still obediently entered the city. Even though he was arrested and had death threats against him, he walked out of the city alive and with an armed escort. God answered the prayer in a very unique way, and Paul knew that he could trust in the Lord no matter what. This confidence would carry him through a storm and shipwreck. God promises our lives will be rough (John 16:33), but He also promises to be with us (Matt 28:20) and that we will overcome in Him (John 16:33).How is your confidence level today? What would it look like for you to be more confident (not arrogant) in Christ?

Gazing intently at the high council, Paul began: Brothers, I have always lived before God with a clear conscience! Instantly Ananias the high priest commanded those close to Paul to slap him on the mouth. But Paul said to him, God will slap you, you corrupt hypocrite! What kind of judge are you to break the law yourself by ordering me struck like that? Those standing near Paul said to him, Do you dare to insult Gods high priest? Im sorry, brothers. I didnt realize he was the high priest, Paul replied, for the Scriptures say, You must not speak evil of any of your rulers. Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead! This divided the councilthe Pharisees against the Sadducees for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. So there was a great uproar. Some of the teachers of religious law who were Pharisees jumped up and began to argue forcefully. We see nothing wrong with him, they shouted. Perhaps a spirit or an angel spoke to him. As the conflict grew more violent, the commander was afraid they would tear Paul apart. So he ordered his soldiers to go and rescue him by force and take him back to the fortress. That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well. The next morning a group of Jews got together and bound themselves with an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty of them in the conspiracy. They went to the leading priests and elders and told them, We have bound ourselves with an oath to eat nothing until we have killed Paul. So you and the high council should ask the commander to bring Paul back to the council again. Pretend you want to examine his case more fully. We will kill him on the way. But Pauls nephewhis sisters sonheard of their plan and went to the fortress and told Paul. Paul called for one of the Roman officers and said, Take this young man to the commander. He has something important to tell him. So the officer did, explaining, Paul, the prisoner, called me over and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you. The commander took his hand, led him aside, and asked, What is it you want to tell me? Pauls nephew told him, Some Jews are going to ask you to bring Paul before the high council tomorrow, pretending they want to get some more information. But dont do it! There are more than forty men hiding along the way ready to ambush him. They have vowed not to eat or drink anything until they have killed him. They are ready now, just waiting for your consent. Dont let anyone know you told me this, the commander warned the young man.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭22‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Less than a year earlier, Paul had written, If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) He was learning the truth of that verse in his life. He was on trial, but the Lord appeared to Paul and told him to keep giving his testimony. The Lord also revealed that Paul would go to Rome, even though certain men had vowed to kill Paul (no human plan can thwart the Plan of God). Paul held onto the promises from the Lord.

The world gives us threats; the Lord gives us promises. Will we choose fear or faith? A lot of how we go through life depends on which one we will believe. Fear causes us to try to be in control of everything and everyone around us, which only increases our anxiety. The promises of the Lord show us how to work in the areas that are ours, and how to surrender everything else to Him. Hardships will happen, but nothing can thwart His plan for you except your fear, disobedience, and distrust.

When are you tempted to give in to fear? What promises of the Lord will you hold on to today?

Brothers and esteemed fathers, Paul said, listen to me as I offer my defense. When they heard him speaking in their own language, the silence was even greater. Then Paul said, I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the followers of the Way from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished. As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? Who are you, Lord? I asked. And the voice replied, I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting. The people with me saw the light but didnt understand the voice speaking to me. I asked, What should I do, Lord? And the Lord told me, Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do. I was blinded by the intense light and had to be led by the hand to Damascus by my companions. A man named Ananias lived there. He was a godly man, deeply devoted to the law, and well regarded by all the Jews of Damascus. He came and stood beside me and said, Brother Saul, regain your sight. And that very moment I could see him! Then he told me, The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord. After I returned to Jerusalem, I was praying in the Temple and fell into a trance. I saw a vision of Jesus saying to me, Hurry! Leave Jerusalem, for the people here wont accept your testimony about me. But Lord, I argued, they certainly know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in you. And I was in complete agreement when your witness Stephen was killed. I stood by and kept the coats they took off when they stoned him. But the Lord said to me, Go, for I will send you far away to the Gentiles! The crowd listened until Paul said that word. Then they all began to shout, Away with such a fellow! He isnt fit to live! They yelled, threw off their coats, and tossed handfuls of dust into the air. The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. He wanted to find out why the crowd had become so furious. When they tied Paul down to lash him, Paul said to the officer standing there, Is it legal for you to whip a Roman citizen who hasnt even been tried? When the officer heard this, he went to the commander and asked, What are you doing? This man is a Roman citizen! So the commander went over and asked Paul, Tell me, are you a Roman citizen? Yes, I certainly am, Paul replied. I am, too, the commander muttered, and it cost me plenty! Paul answered, But I am a citizen by birth! The soldiers who were about to interrogate Paul quickly withdrew when they heard he was a Roman citizen, and the commander was frightened because he had ordered him bound and whipped. The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, so he released Paul to have him stand before them.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭30‬ ‭NLT‬‬

A changed life is a powerful testimony. When Paul stood up to give his defense, he didnt give a point-by-point argument about their accusations. Instead, he told a story: his own testimony. His life had been changed by Jesus. The people seemed to be able to accept that; what they could not accept was that God would call someone to leave Jerusalem and be sent to the Gentiles. Paul was following the command of Christ that began the book of Acts we are witnesses for Christ to the whole world (Acts 1:8). This helps us understand that we are not on trial; Jesus is on trial, and we are His witnesses.

Even if people will not listen, our testimonies are still one of the most convincing pieces of evidence we can offer others. Your testimony can be about wandering from or fighting against God, like Pauls. Or it can be about a gradual series of decisions that grew you closer to Jesus, like Peter. It could be a time Jesus healed you, like Mary Magdalene. God has given each of us a story. Be His witness and tell yours. Jesus is alive, and He is changing lives. Testimony after testimony adds evidence into doubting hearts.Do you know your testimony? Take some time to say it out loud or write it down. Pray for those in your life who need to know the Lord, and find a good time to share your story with them. Who can you share your testimony with this week?

After this we packed our things and left for Jerusalem. Some believers from Caesarea accompanied us, and they took us to the home of Mnason, a man originally from Cyprus and one of the early believers. When we arrived, the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem welcomed us warmly. The next day Paul went with us to meet with James, and all the elders of the Jerusalem church were present. After greeting them, Paul gave a detailed account of the things God had accomplished among the Gentiles through his ministry. After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. Theyve heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. What should we do? They will certainly hear that you have come. Heres what we want you to do. We have four men here who have completed their vow. Go with them to the Temple and join them in the purification ceremony, paying for them to have their heads ritually shaved. Then everyone will know that the rumors are all false and that you yourself observe the Jewish laws. As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. So Paul went to the Temple the next day with the other men. They had already started the purification ritual, so he publicly announced the date when their vows would end and sacrifices would be offered for each of them. The seven days were almost ended when some Jews from the province of Asia saw Paul in the Temple and roused a mob against him. They grabbed him, yelling, Men of Israel, help us! This is the man who preaches against our people everywhere and tells everybody to disobey the Jewish laws. He speaks against the Templeand even defiles this holy place by bringing in Gentiles. (For earlier that day they had seen him in the city with Trophimus, a Gentile from Ephesus, and they assumed Paul had taken him into the Temple.) The whole city was rocked by these accusations, and a great riot followed. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple, and immediately the gates were closed behind him. As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that all Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd. When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. Then the commander arrested him and ordered him bound with two chains. He asked the crowd who he was and what he had done. Some shouted one thing and some another. Since he couldnt find out the truth in all the uproar and confusion, he ordered that Paul be taken to the fortress. As Paul reached the stairs, the mob grew so violent the soldiers had to lift him to their shoulders to protect him. And the crowd followed behind, shouting, Kill him, kill him! As Paul was about to be taken inside, he said to the commander, May I have a word with you? Do you know Greek? the commander asked, surprised. Arent you the Egyptian who led a rebellion some time ago and took 4,000 members of the Assassins out into the desert? No, Paul replied, I am a Jew and a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, which is an important city. Please, let me talk to these people. The commander agreed, so Paul stood on the stairs and motioned to the people to be quiet. Soon a deep silence enveloped the crowd, and he addressed them in their own language, Aramaic.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭21‬:‭15‬-‭40‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul had gone around the world preaching the unity and peace that is available to Jews and Gentiles in Christ. In these verses, he was in Jerusalem, and there were many there who hated him because he embraced Gentiles. There was a long and bloody history that came before this, and the people could not see past that history.

The Jews had fought against Greece and Rome for hundreds of years for their freedom to worship the Lord. Along the way, they equated food laws and circumcision with devotion to the Lord. The true believers lived out these rules and separated themselves from Gentiles, especially not eating with them. This militant legalism was very popular in Jerusalem at the time. It was a false way of life, a corruption of the true way of the Lord shown by Abraham, the prophets, and Jesus. Their hard history had blinded them to what God was doing and who God loved. They used the Bible to make an ungodly standard to use in judging others. They did not like Paul or his biblical message because it included Gentiles. Their way of false faith ultimately led to disaster when the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem, less than ten years after the events of this chapter.What is your history? What are the hard things you have gone through in your life? We learn lessons through those hard times, but some of those lessons might not be godly or biblical. We have to hold them up to the light of Gods Word. Are there any lessons you need to unlearn, allowing God to bring true healing?

After saying farewell to the Ephesian elders, we sailed straight to the island of Cos. The next day we reached Rhodes and then went to Patara. There we boarded a ship sailing for Phoenicia. We sighted the island of Cyprus, passed it on our left, and landed at the harbor of Tyre, in Syria, where the ship was to unload its cargo. We went ashore, found the local believers, and stayed with them a week. These believers prophesied through the Holy Spirit that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. When we returned to the ship at the end of the week, the entire congregation, including women and children, left the city and came down to the shore with us. There we knelt, prayed, and said our farewells. Then we went aboard, and they returned home. The next stop after leaving Tyre was Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed for one day. The next day we went on to Caesarea and stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist, one of the seven men who had been chosen to distribute food. He had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy. Several days later a man named Agabus, who also had the gift of prophecy, arrived from Judea. He came over, took Pauls belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. Then he said, The Holy Spirit declares, So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles. When we heard this, we and the local believers all begged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. But he said, Why all this weeping? You are breaking my heart! I am ready not only to be jailed at Jerusalem but even to die for the sake of the Lord Jesus.‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭21‬:‭1‬-‭13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is all about following Jesus. In these verses Paul knew that he was supposed to go to Jerusalem, but one prophet told him that he would be arrested and bound; another told him that the Spirit said not to go. Who was right? Knowing the will of God is not an exact science, and there are great insights we can gain from these verses.

Paul was clearly convicted that he needed to go to Jerusalem. He had a vow, and we know from his letters he was carrying an offering from the church plants for the poor in Jerusalem. He listened to those around him, but nothing would change what he knew God wanted him to do. We dont read anywhere that God gave him a vision or direct command; Paul just knew through prayer and thinking that God was leading him to Jerusalem even if that meant suffering. The prophetic word wasnt wrong, it was just not meant to stop Paul from his mission.It is all about following Jesus. We know His will through prayer and His Word, godly counsel and reason, and history and circumstances. Most of all we know His will by walking with Him obediently in everyday life. We learn to know His voice. We learn that it is all about following Him, and we trust Him more and more. Even when His way is harder, it is always better. What is God asking you to do today? Will you make a promise to follow Jesus, even when it is the harder way?